acape Senior Member Joined: 21 Aug 2008 Posts: 10 Location: NC Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Jun 11, 2012, 6:13am Subject: Rocky questions from a Gaggia MDF user
I've been using a Gaggia MDF for about four years and have been fairly happy with it. However, I'm ready to replace it. I'm considering purchasing the doserless Rocky, but have a few questions:
Do grounds get stuck in the chute or the area between the chute and the burrs? If so, how much ground coffee gets stuck in there?
With the MDF, a large portion of each shot's grind stays in there. I would estimate 1/4 of a shot's worth. I long ago modified the chamber to get access and always scrape them out before dosing each shot. I am curious if this happens with the Rocky or if all of the ground coffee makes it down the chute.
Finally, I have read that the Rocky steps are too wide, but I'm curious how wide they actually are. I would prefer steps, and as long as they are finer than the MDF steps, I can live with that.
tracerbullet Senior Member Joined: 13 Feb 2012 Posts: 157 Location: Saint Paul Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Jun 11, 2012, 11:33am Subject: Re: Rocky questions from a Gaggia MDF user
I have had both, the Gaggia only about a month because I wanted a doserless grinder. Have had the Rocky for maybe 5 months now.
Yes some ground coffee stays behind. About .5 - 1 ounce or so for me typically. Instead of weighing beans and trying to get all of them ground as most people seem to do, my method is to weigh the beans prior to grinding and go a little over what I want in the end (if I'm shooting for 17oz I weigh out maybe 17.5 - 18 oz). Then I dump them in the grinder, and then weigh what I grind until it's where I want it or at least close enough. Once I get what I want I run the rest of the beans if any into the sink, and when that's done I tilt it forward to let that .5 oz or whatever that stays behind fall out as well.
It does waste coffee, true, but it takes me about a month to go through a pound of beans. And by 2-3 weeks I notice they are losing flavor anyways and I'm ready for a fresh batch, so I don't worry about it.
I don't really remember the Gaggia settings but I do know w/ the Rocky while there's 1 "best" setting at any time (depends on bean type and age), i can get away with +/- a step either direction and still get a good cup of espresso. So while the settings aren't as fine-tuneable as some other machines I just haven't had a problem with what the machine can in fact do.
All in all I think they are comparable machines, the big difference is the doser / non of course. Other than that if you're happy with one I think you'll stay happy with the other.
Posted Thu Jul 5, 2012, 1:34pm Subject: Re: Rocky questions from a Gaggia MDF user
tracerbullet Said:
I have had both, the Gaggia only about a month because I wanted a doserless grinder. Have had the Rocky for maybe 5 months now.
Yes some ground coffee stays behind. About .5 - 1 ounce or so for me typically. Instead of weighing beans and trying to get all of them ground as most people seem to do, my method is to weigh the beans prior to grinding and go a little over what I want in the end (if I'm shooting for 17oz I weigh out maybe 17.5 - 18 oz). Then I dump them in the grinder, and then weigh what I grind until it's where I want it or at least close enough. Once I get what I want I run the rest of the beans if any into the sink, and when that's done I tilt it forward to let that .5 oz or whatever that stays behind fall out as well.
It does waste coffee, true, but it takes me about a month to go through a pound of beans. And by 2-3 weeks I notice they are losing flavor anyways and I'm ready for a fresh batch, so I don't worry about it.
I don't really remember the Gaggia settings but I do know w/ the Rocky while there's 1 "best" setting at any time (depends on bean type and age), i can get away with +/- a step either direction and still get a good cup of espresso. So while the settings aren't as fine-tuneable as some other machines I just haven't had a problem with what the machine can in fact do.
All in all I think they are comparable machines, the big difference is the doser / non of course. Other than that if you're happy with one I think you'll stay happy with the other.
I believe you are talking about GRAMS not OUNCES. I have used a Rocky for 6+ years and do not have any problems with it. I have been using it as a straight grinder and not a bean storage compartment. I vacuum seal the bean in one of those hand pump canisters and in the morning I decant the beans that I am going to use into the bean hopper and grind them for the morning wake up.
My only complaint is that I need a second grinder for my wifes de-caf because I am lazy and don't want to change the grinder settings on the Rocky :-) I am presently adding a Ceado E-37 to add to the coffee center.
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